Archer

"Two lives!!"

Skinny Dog stared at the panel before his eyes, his tongue lolling in and out as excitement surged through him. "Mm-hmm, let me study this."

The next moment, the shadow beneath Skinny Dog's feet suddenly swelled upward. With a pop, it ballooned like a bubble before bursting.

In an instant, a puppy materialized from the burst bubble, looking exactly like Skinny Dog.

Fang Zhixing looked at the two Skinny Dogs. They were completely identical. Shocked, he said, "Holy shit, a shadow clone?"

"Mm, more or less."

Skinny Dog instantly became smug. "For every life I have, I can create another me. Likewise, if one of me gets killed, there's still another me."

Fang Zhixing drew a deep breath. "You can resurrect. Isn't that freaking awesome?"

"Hehehe, same to you."

Skinny Dog grinned from ear to ear. Now that he had two lives, he could die one extra time.

And that meant his dog life would have one more chance than others to make mistakes and try again.

Fang Zhixing clicked his tongue in amazement. Just as he was about to praise him some more, he saw the two Skinny Dogs circling each other and licking each other's fur, happily engrossed in it.

`(>﹏<)′

Fang Zhixing could not help but sneer. "You'll never be lonely again."

"Huh?"

Skinny Dog immediately snapped back to his senses and gave an embarrassed dry cough. With a thought, his other self suddenly turned into wisps of black mist and sank into the ground.

Skinny Dog promptly said in a serious tone, "Hurry up and test your cheat. Let's see whether it actually works."

Fang Zhixing looked back at the panel.

1. Do 20 consecutive push-ups...

Drawing a deep breath, he immediately lay facedown on the ground, pressed his hands against the dirt, and pushed himself up.

Down, up!

Down, up!

"Haah, haah!" After only two push-ups, Fang Zhixing's breathing had already become heavy.

Skinny Dog watched from the side and shouted, "Can you even do this?"

Fang Zhixing said nothing and gritted his teeth as he did three more.

By then, his arms had begun to tremble slightly, already aching.

Skinny Dog paced back and forth, watching anxiously.

Panting like an ox, Fang Zhixing huffed a few times and did another three. He barely managed to push himself up, both arms shaking wildly.

Skinny Dog clicked his tongue. "It's over, it's over. You're such trash."

Before his words had even faded, Fang Zhixing collapsed flat onto the ground with a smack. He had only managed eight in total.

He rolled over and lay on his back, his chest heaving violently as discomfort wracked his entire body.

There was nothing he could do. This body had suffered from malnutrition for a long time, and its stamina was terrible. Being able to do eight push-ups in one go was already a pretty good result.

Skinny Dog said disdainfully, "You really can't cut it. I thought you were going down the genius route, but turns out you're on the useless-trash route."

Fang Zhixing was also extremely frustrated. Speechless, he said, "I didn't eat breakfast. I have no strength."

At the mention of food, Skinny Dog became hungry too.

Man and dog quickly reached an agreement and went out to forage.

Fang Zhixing expertly went into the river to feel around for clams and river snails, catching four or five crayfish floating among the aquatic grass along the way.

They grilled them and ate.

After resting for half an hour, Fang Zhixing tried again. This time, he made some progress and did ten consecutive push-ups.

"With a physique like yours, it's enough to make people weep," Skinny Dog gloated at the side, laughing loudly.

"You sure talk a lot of crap."

Fang Zhixing ignored him and mused, "Looks like I can't rush it. I need to build up my body gradually."

Skinny Dog suggested, "Why not try the second condition?"

[Hit the bullseye from at least 10 meters away 5 times.]

Fang Zhixing had brought his bow and arrows. He first found a large tree with rotting bark and used ashes from the fire to draw several simple concentric circles on it, making a target.

Then he measured out ten meters with his steps. To make sure the distance was enough, he backed up a little farther.

Fang Zhixing raised the bow in his right hand, took an arrow from the quiver with his left, and nocked it on the bowstring.

A familiar feeling naturally welled up within him.

It was Big Ox's muscle memory. Under his father's guidance, he had once practiced archery seriously.

Whoosh!

The arrow shot out and struck the tree, but unfortunately, it missed the bullseye.

Fang Zhixing fired another arrow. It still struck the tree, landing a few centimeters off the bullseye.

However, he gradually found the feeling. After slightly adjusting his breathing, he released the third arrow.

Thud~

The arrow sank into the trunk, its fletching trembling in a circle.

Bullseye!

[2. Hit the bullseye from at least 10 meters away 5 times (1/5)]

"Oh-ho, one hit in three arrows. Not bad!"

Skinny Dog clicked his tongue. "Maybe you really have a talent for archery!"

Fang Zhixing caught his breath and curled his lips slightly. "It's only ten meters. Even with my eyes closed, I should be able to hit it."

"Tch, I just said it casually, and now you're putting on airs."

Skinny Dog continued, "Ten meters is about the length of a volleyball court. Hitting that tree might not be difficult, but hitting the bullseye is very hard."

Naturally, Fang Zhixing knew it was no easy task. From past experience, an archer started out with plenty of stamina, drawing the bow steadily and aiming well. But after firing several arrows in a row, their strength gradually ran out, and their aim got worse and worse.

Fang Zhixing sought stability, controlling his rhythm as he fired three arrows, then rested for a while.

Before he knew it, an hour and a half had passed.

[2. Hit the bullseye from at least 10 meters away 5 times (Completed)]

Fang Zhixing wiped away his hot sweat and let out a long breath. Raising his brows at Skinny Dog, he said, "See that? That's the bearing of a master archer."

"Hmph, keep pretending!"

Skinny Dog said disdainfully, "Oh right, who was it that couldn't even do twenty push-ups?"

Fang Zhixing gritted his teeth.

He could tell that ever since Skinny Dog had confirmed he possessed two lives, his attitude had become noticeably more arrogant.

Setting aside that little smugness of his, Fang Zhixing quickly came up with a training plan.

"Nine years of compulsory education weren't for nothing."

Running, long jumps, sit-ups, pull-ups, planks...

Besides catching enough food, Fang Zhixing trained in the morning and again in the afternoon, never stopping.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

Fang Zhixing looked himself over and felt that he had put on some flesh and become a little sturdier.

After all, he ate meat every day, and with scientifically sound training methods, the results were quite noticeable.

Not only had Fang Zhixing grown stronger, but Skinny Dog had also visibly gotten plumper, his fur thicker and shinier.

"Come on."

Fang Zhixing drew several deep breaths, lay down, and began doing push-ups.

One, two, three, four...

"Fifteen, sixteen, keep going! You're almost there!"

Skinny Dog barked from the side.

Fang Zhixing's face turned bright red from the strain. He clenched his teeth and persevered, lowering himself again and again, pushing himself back up again and again.

"Nineteen, twenty!"

Skinny Dog immediately looked at the panel above Fang Zhixing's head. The words on it blurred for a moment before reappearing.

[1. Do 20 consecutive push-ups (Completed)]

"Success!"

Skinny Dog jumped up and announced.

Fang Zhixing stood, his face glowing with health as he said excitedly, "Heh, easy."

Skinny Dog asked, "How are you? Do you feel any changes?"

Fang Zhixing carefully sensed his body.

Almost at the same time, a line of glowing words appeared on the system panel.

[The conditions required for max level have been met. Congratulations, you have advanced to an Apprentice Archer!]

In an instant, countless memories and experiences of practicing archery flooded into Fang Zhixing's mind.

At the same time, electric shivers continuously stimulated his body.

It was as if he had practiced archery for three full years, accumulating experience and constantly improving his skill.

In the end, he had transformed into an Apprentice Archer.

[Max-Level Apprentice Archer: Within a range of 30 meters, every shot hits its mark; between 30 and 50 meters, hit rate is 80%; beyond 50 meters, hit rate is below 20%.]